Brandon Poulson stands 6-foot-7, 240 pounds. He can run fast and throw a baseball 100 mph.

So, what was he doing driving a truck a few short years ago? He was working for his dad's excavating company in Santa Rosa. (Credit Jeff Passan of YahooSports for digging up Poulson's amazing back story.)

But the baseball coach at the San Francisco Academy of Art caught wind of his ability. So he put him on the college team. Poulson had an 8.38 ERA at the Academy, but blossomed shortly after leaving school.

"At the Academy, I gained experience," Poulson said, in a statement released by his college. "I got the experience of being put in different situations and trying to keep myself focused on getting better."

This summer, playing for the Healdsburg Prune Packers of the Golden State Collegiate Baseball League, Poulson's fastball hit 100 on the radar gun. That's all pro scouts had to hear. He got a tryout with the Minnesota Twins this month. On Wednesday, they signed him to a $250,000 minor-league deal.

At 24, Poulson heads to the Twins' rookie-league team as part of a journey that could end up a classic rags-to-riches tale.